Separator plow for cane harvesters and the like



Oct. 16, 1928.

F. c. D. WILKES ET AL SEPARATOR PLOW FOR CANE HARVESIERS AND THE LIKE Filed July 15, 1919 Patented Oct. 16, 1 928.

journal) STATES PATENT "OFF resonator: c. DOUGLAS WILKES Ann FRANCIS FLY1TN, OF warna'rown, Wisconsrrzr, assrenons, BY nsnn essieniunnrs, To noonoarun snrAnAroR rLoW non CANE n'nnvns rnns AND THE LIKE.

Application filed July 15,

' In the operation of cane harvesters which are designed to travel along a row of cane, I

cutting the cane in such row-and passing it through the nachine, diiiiculty is often experienced from the fact that the canedoes not grow straight and even. On the con trary the cane is, commonly crooked and leanin with the result that the cane in one row frequently becomes tangled more or less with the cane in an adjacent row and with erly fed into the machine, and disentangling such cane from the cone in the adjacent uncut row or from trash or vegetablexgrowths. The invention comprises an improved construction of separating device or plowfor accomplishing the lifting up of the leaning and fallen cane of the row to be operated upon and separating the same from the cane in the adjacent row, and also to combinations of such means with the cane feedingand cutting devices ofthe harvester.

In the accompanying drawings in which we have illustrated a construction embodying one preferred form of the invention,

Figure 1 is a plan view of the separator plow and its connections with the harvester frame; i

Figure 2 is a side view of the same, a part of the sheathing of the plow beingbroken away; I

Figure 3 is a transverse section on line 3-3 of Figurel I Figured is a diagrammatic front view on a small scale showing a cane harvester hav ing the improved plow applied thereto;

Figure 5 is a longitudinal sectional view through the front part of the machine shown in Figure l showing the plow applied thereto. I s

The present invention isapplicable to cane harvesters and similar devices of various typcs,-but for purposes of illustration we have shown the same asapplied to a harvester of general character set forth in United States Letters Patent toGeorge D.

1919;: Serial No. 310,956.

Luce, No; 1,058,917, the particular construction of harvester illustrated in' Figures 4 and 5 .being disclosedand claimed in the application for patent of George D.=L'uce filed May 12, 1919, Serial No. 256,539. I

'Referring to'the drawings in detail, the harvester shown in Figures el and 5 is adapted to be traversed along a row of sugar cane; it being mounted for this purpose upon caterpillar tractor treads 1, which'travel along the iniddles between the adjacent rows of cane. Thecane' is severed adjacent to or slightly below the surface of the groundby horizontal positively driven disc cutters 2 which are mounted-upon rotatable and vertically adjustable shafts 3. The cane is straightened up and guided into the ma chine and to the cuttersas the machine advances, by pick-up chains 4 and 5, the activestretches of which fiareouttoward the front as shown in Figure tgso as to form I I v rranvnsrna 00320315- I 'IION, on NEW YoaK, N. 32., A oonPoaA'rIoN or DELAWARE.

a widemouth or throat for ga'theringin the cane andstraightening up the leaning stalks;

The came after being severed" at the bottom I by the cutters 2, is seized by conveyor chains 6' which carry it upwardly and rearwardly through the machine to the stripping and topping devices Vvhilethe diverging ferward POIiJlOIlS of the pick-up chains land 5' will receive and straighten up and prop erly guide into the machine cane leaningto a considerable inclination, stall'rs which have fallen over too far and particularly stalks which have become entangled with the'cane of the adjacent uncut row will not be properly brought into the machine, and in order to raise up and disentangle such stalksmve provide at the side of the machine which travels adjacent to the uncut row, the separator device or plow 10. This'plow is preferably mounted for free up and down ,movement with reference to the machine,

and is provided with a shoe or guiding support adapted to follow the surface of the ground so as [to maintain the plow always at proper elevation. Means are also preferably provided for holding the plow in an elevated position when not in use; The plow should also be so formed as to properly enter under the fallen cane and lift and separatethe same from the cane of the adjacent row and at thesame time aid to clear itself from trash so as not to become clogged in operation.

In the particular construction illustrated in the drawings the .p'low comprises. a strong metal framework including an upper brace built up of the angle irons 11 and 12 and the plateflg which areffirmly riveted together,

r j upper brace ofthe plow. WVe find it preftheiowe'r brace comprising the an leiron l4 and a cross brace 15 having upright p'o'r tion' 16 providing a vertical guide surface for a purpose to be eXplained. The plow is provided with a sheathing 17 of heavy sheet metal attached to the upper and lower braces, 'as :cl;ea:rly shownin Figure 8, thi'ssheath-ing being pi 'eferably given an outwardly and a downwardly curved shape in "cross section; and taperingwinr a sort of conical or pyramidal form so as ftohave a generally convex plowsurface having a pointed forward end. Upon the outside of the sheathing are preferably secured one or more diagona-l ly placed ribs '18, the purpose of which the-iproper operation-thereof. In the const-ruction shown the \plow is provided at its front end with a shoe 20 of angular cross section, as shown in Figure 8, and is {PiVOlZGCl at 21' to the forwardly projecting end of the erable, to employ a shoe having 'a long -;point at its front endtapered both from below and above as we find that a'shoeof this character I will travel closely along the I surface of the ground without digging in. The upper tapered surface 22 causes the shoeto pass uner-the mat of traslrwhich is often found ind-the field so that the shoe travels, along the ground under this trash. At its -rear.

end theplow is pivotally supported upon the frame of the harvester by the supporting pivot .25. This pivot is mounted in the frame bars 26 and 27 of the harvester "frame and passes through holes in the upper and lower-braces of the plow, the lower brace bethe groundtover which the shoe 20 is sliding.

ing inclined upwardly toward the rear as clearly shown in Figu-re2. When in use the plow pivots freely on this pivot 25, its

position being determined by the contour of Suitable means, are also provided for holding the'plowiin elevated position, this means, in the c'onstructi'on shown, takingthe form of togglelinks 30 and 31 pivoted together at 32,

r the d'theren'd of the link 30 being pivoted to abracket on the frame as indicated at33 and thezouter end ofthe link 31 beingpiv oted at ids-to the downwardly turned arm 35.. constituting a continuation of the upper brace member of the plow. 'VVhen the to gle is broken, asshown in full lines in Figure 2, it does not interfere with the up and down movementof the i 'ilow, but when the plow is elevated and the toggle brought into the dotted line position of Figure 2, thenit acts. a strut so as to niai'ntainthe 'plo'w raised. As the plow "travels alongfin, operati'o'n the greatest strain is directed thereon from the side towards the uncut row of cane, that is, fromthe side covered with the tapered sheathqlfi, .In order to brace the plow against lateral displacement, means are preferably provided which, in the construe tion illustrated, comprise a -;bracket 40 att-achedto the frameof the harvester, forming a guide surface, against which the side of the member 16 is adapted to bear. asshown in Figures 1, 2 and 3; v

In operation, as the harvester travels along the cane row, theseparator plow is propelled in advance Of*tl1 1nLCl1lI1G The shoe 20 traveling along the surface of the ground under. the trash mat follows theirregularthe .plow always at the proper elevation.

-Tl1e plow divides the trash mat'throwing the bulk of the trash over towards the uncut i row 'ofcaneand away from-the row which is being operated upon, the ribs 18 preventing thetrash from pilingup on the plow so as to clog the same Th'eplow also lifts up leaning cane and cane which has become entangled with the cane in the adjacent row or withthe trash orvegetable growths and straigl ten's up the cane in the row to be out sufficiently r'to permit it to be engaged by the pick-.upchains. ,The plow also assists 1n stralghtening up :or pushing away lean- 1. In aparatus of the characterdescribed,-

the combination withacane harvester or the like including forwardly extending pickup chains, :of a separator plow mounted at one side of and in advance of the pickup chains for free pivotal movement in -a verticalplane, and means for maintaining the forward end of said plow adjacent to the ground surface irrespective of any irregu lar-ities thereof,'said plow having a substan tially straight inside surface and an outwardly and rearward-1y diverging,outside surface. p .i 3-2. In.apparatusofthe characterdescribed the combination with a cane harvester or the like including a pair of laterally spaced,

forwardly extending diverging pickup chains adapted to receive the cane of a row betweenthem, of a separator plow mounted at that side of the harvester adapted to the like, of a separator plow having a pivotal connection with the harvester permitting up and down movement of the plow, and means independent of said pivotal connection for supporting theplow against inward lateral displacement.

4. In apparatus of the character described the combination with a cane harvester or the like, of a plow having pivotal connection therewith for up and down movement, an abutment on the harvester, and means on the plow forming a vertical guiding surface adapted to engage said abutment.

5. In apparatus of the character described, the combination with a cane harvester or the like, of a separator plow mounted at the forward end of the harvester and adapted to travel adjacent the uncut row of cane, and a shoe carried by the forward end of said plow and adapted to follow the surface of the ground beneath any trash on thelatter.

6. In apparatus of the character described,

. the combination with a cane harvester or the like, of a separator plow mounted at the forward end of the harvester and arranged for vertical movement, and a shoe carried by the forward end of said plow and adapted to follow the surface of the ground beneath any trash on the latter. I

'Z. In apparatus of the character described, the combination with a cane harvester or the like, of a separator plow mounted at the forward end of the harvester and adapted to travel adjacent the uncut row of cane, and a shoe pivotally supported at the forward end of said plow and adapted to follow the surface of the ground beneath any trash on the latter. i a

8. In apparatus of the character described, the combination with a cane harvester or the like, of a separator plow pivotally supported near its rear end and mounted at the forward end of the harvester so as to travel adjacent the uncut row of cane, and a shoe carried by and supporting the forward end of said plow and adapted to follow the surface of the ground beneath any trash on the latter.

9. In apparatus of the character described, the combination with a cane harvester or the like, of a separator plow movably mounted at the forward end of the harvester, and a shoe carried by andsupportingthe forward end of said plow and adapted to follow the surface of the ground beneath any trash on the latter.

'10. A seoarator' plow havinga groundeng'aging shoe pivoted to the front thereof, said shoe having a forwardly extending pointed portion both the upper and lower surfaces of which are tapered towards the front.

11. A separator plow havlng a groundengaging shoe provided with a portion forming a substantially horizontal groundengaglng surface and with a vertical rib oort-ion said rib aortion bein nivoted to the forward end of'said separator plow.

12. In a separatorplow the combination of asupport, a plow pivoted thereto for free vertical movement within normal limits of operation, and automatically operating means for supporting said plow in an inoperative raised posit-ion when it is raised to a certain height.

13. 'In a separator plow the combination of a support, a plow pivoted thereto for up and down movement, and a toggle operatively connected to said support and to said plow for holding said plow in elevated position.

14. A separatorv plow having a framework including an upper metal bar inclined upwardly and rearwardly and having its rear end curved downwardly, and having a sheet metal housing attached to said frame-work and constituting the plow surface.

15. A separator plow comprising a frame work including an upper metal bar inclined upwardly and rearwardly and downwardly curved at its rear end, a sheet metal housing attached to said framework and constituting the plow surface, and a ground-engaging shoe pivoted to the lower front end of said upper frame member. 7

16. A separator plow of the character described having a skeleton framework and a sheet metal housing attached thereto form ing a convex outside plow surface, said sheet metal member being formed to approach a point at the forward end and flaring upwardly and laterally at its outside towards the rear.

17. A separator plow of the character described having a convex plow surface at one side therof, the upper portion of which is' inclined upwardly and towards the rear and the side portion of which flares laterally towards the rear for a part of its length, the remainder of said portion extending substantially parallel with the longitudinal axis of the plow.

18. A separator plow of the character described having an upwardly sloping and laterally diverging convex plow surface provided with diagonal projecting guide ribs.

r19. A separator plowo'f themhmacter deto snip-cutters, and a gi'dundengzigingsepa- 10 scribed having 'a conve'x plow surface with "rate ,plow*mountedadjacenttheforwardly Convex ribs thereon. extending'end'of 0ne 0f said divergingpidk- 20. In a cane lmrvester or the like zthe up chains ind adapted toytmvl betwgen 5 combination of cutters located 116211. the the row'of c ane which isbeing cut'and'the fgl'un'd, 'P airof laterally spnced and foradjacent row of cane-'"and servingfto raiae 15 warflly and 'dbwmvardly extending and and disentangle the'cane in saidl' ows. 1diverfingpick-up chains'adapted to gather i F.'C.'DOUGLASWILKES; infindsstmighten'up the cane' al dfiguidwit I FRANCIS KSF'LYNN. 

